You want to change something—maybe a personal change or an organizational change. You’ve seen the headlines: “proven ways to lose weight!” or, in my context, “proven agile transformation success!” These people claim they have the One Right Way to succeed at something. They probably have succeeded—maybe even several times. They can explain the journey, from
What’s Your Context for Your Success In Solving This Problem? Read More »
When you were a child, your parents made all the decisions for how you lived. I distinctly remember thinking it was “so unfair” that I had to go to bed and not read more. Yes, I was one of those kids who read under the covers with a flashlight. Even as adults, we live in
How Do We Balance the Power to Make Decisions with Who Feels the Outcomes? Read More »
The world feels more complex now, where the Big Issues of the Day create “interesting” times in our lives. Even planning for vacation often requires adaptability. We must be ready to toss those plans when the circumstances change. Some people tell me we need to “return” to simpler times. Or that we can use direct,
How Can We Embrace Complexity—and Stop Trying to Avoid It? Read More »
A client, Dave, explained his concerns and said, “I have no idea where to go from here.” He explained that he’d already gone through his reasonable problem-solving steps. He’d researched, asked the team to experiment, and asked his peers for help. Nothing was working. I asked, “Do you know about going “meta” on the problem?”
How Can You Go Meta to Solve a Problem When You’re Stuck? Read More »
I feel as if I see more problems and crises than I know what to do with right now. Sometimes, I want to wade right in and solve those problems. Sometimes, I assess quickly and realize I have good possibilities. However, there’s a third option, and that’s when I stay stuck. In my case, it’s
When Do You Choose Which Kind of Problem-Solver You Are? Read More »
A close friend, Sue, is trying to hire a mid-career engineer. She had a lead on a great guy, who then dithered. He could not decide to leave. (I wrote a little thread on Twitter.) What kept him there? He felt as if he owed his team more work. (How to learn what he knew,
What Would It Take For You To Leave Work Every Day as If It’s Your Last Day? Read More »
How Do You Manage Your Energy? Do you ever slog through the days, feeling as if you can’t get going? That happened to me last month. I wasn’t sick or depressed—I didn’t have my normal get-up-and-go. That’s when I realized I was “out of spoons.” The spoons represent our energy—and, at least for me—our resilience.
How Do You Manage Your Energy? Read More »
When my older daughter was in high school, we battled often about her clothing. Her school had a dress code that said girls couldn’t wear spaghetti strap tops and their shirts had to cover their backs and bellies. I thought it was my role as her mother to fight that battle on behalf of the
Which Battles Do You Choose to Fight and When? Read More »
When did you last exchange a business card with someone? I’m sure it was either in March 2020 or earlier. Over the past (almost) two years, we’ve proven we don’t need paper business cards. Yet, some people still print them. I wonder how many of these pre-pandemic rituals we will retain and how many we
How Can We Rethink Business Card Rituals and Still Connect with Each Other? Read More »
I wish I could tell you I was perfect at doing all the work on my list. Nope. Every so often, I procrastinate and delay on some specific task. In the past, I worried because I didn’t finish that work. (The more I worried, the less I did.) I created a reinforcing feedback loop that
What Games Do You Create to Succeed in Life and Work? Read More »